Trump Lowers Bar for Lethal Strikes - Because Old Bars Were Too High?
The mainstream media presents Trump's 'lowering the bar' for lethal drug interdictions abroad as a novel, shocking development. Never mind that the US has a long, bloody history of extraterritorial 'anti-drug' operations, often blurring lines between national security and regime change. From the Contra funding in the 80s – partially fueled by unsanctioned drug running if you recall Gary Webb's
reporting – to decades of military aid to regimes ostensibly fighting cartels (who then become allies, or worse, suppliers), US 'drug wars' have always had a high body count. The only thing changing is the PR. So, Washington is just formalizing what's been de facto policy for decades: the US military can execute people far from American borders if they're deemed a 'drug threat.' It's not about
making these operations 'more lethal'; it's about giving them a shinier, official stamp. How many 'rules of engagement' are just bureaucratic window dressing for 'might makes right,' anyway? One wonders what 'bars' existed previously if a memo is all it takes to clear them.